Back-to-school shopping has changed, and today’s families are looking for more than just a checklist of school supplies. In this episode, we’re exploring the biggest back-to-school fashion trends, the influence of social media, the return of nostalgia, and why finding the best value and deals is top of mind for shoppers.
We’re joined by Madeline Nachbar, Trend and Style Editor at MSP Mag, for her take on what’s trending in back-to-school fashion, and Emy Dominguez Marin, who shares what Mall of America retailers are offering this season. We’ll also look at why families are combining shopping with dining, entertainment and attractions, and how the in-person shopping experience continues to matter. Quick tip: customization from patches to jibbitz are big this year.
1:15 The conversation starts right off with the hottest trends for BTS shopping
3:30 Fashion, shoe and styles that are in for students – including throwback style
6:45 How social media is influencing BTS shopping and brands
10:45 Tips for the first day of school photo, and putting your personal spin on style
14:30 Fashion that is back…again from socks to charms
17:30 Where to invest in key items, but understanding values and deals
21:00 The family tradition of Back-to-School shopping
24:30 BTS shopping in person helps connect with friends and family
26:45 Last minute advice for BTS shopping
Visit: https://mspmag.com/topics/madeline-nachbar/
Visit: https://www.mallofamerica.com/BTS
Guests: Madeline Nachbar, Trend + Style Editor at MSP Magazine; Emy Dominguez Marin, Marketing Manager at Mall of America
Hosts: Jill Renslow
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.
00:00 --> 00:04 Mall of America. It's home to world-class shopping, great dining,
00:04 --> 00:08 and amazing attractions and events. And these are our stories presented
00:08 --> 00:12 by Bloomington, Minnesota Travel and Tourism. Hey everybody, and welcome
00:12 --> 00:15 to So Much More. I am your host, Jill Renslow, for today's podcast. And we
00:15 --> 00:19 are talking about an annual tradition, something that families
00:19 --> 00:22 look forward to every year. And sometimes it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.
00:22 --> 00:26 So we're gonna give you the tips and tricks to set up your back-to-school
00:26 --> 00:29 shopping. So joining me today, I have Emmy Dominguez. She's our marketing manager here at
00:30 --> 00:33 Mall of America and Madeline Nachbar, who is the trend and style editor for
00:34 --> 00:37 Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine. And we are going to talk about what
00:38 --> 00:41 students are wearing, what's influencing their shopping lists, where families are looking
00:41 --> 00:44 for value, and why back-to-school shopping has become so much more than
00:44 --> 00:48 simply checking items off a list. So Madeline and Emmy, welcome to
00:49 --> 00:52 So Much More. Thank you. Thanks for having me here. I love this time of
00:52 --> 00:56 year. It's that transition from summer to fall. Everybody's out getting all
00:56 --> 01:00 their fun back-to-school things, stocking up their fall closets and getting everything ready. So Madeline,
01:00 --> 01:03 I would love for you to start with us. Big picture, what are you seeing
01:03 --> 01:07 for back-to-school? Back-to-school trends? Yeah, for trends, I think we've kind of seen this come
01:07 --> 01:11 onto the scene for a couple years now, that, you know, sense of individuality,
01:11 --> 01:15 personal expression, and personalization. That's a big one. Do you want
01:15 --> 01:16 to dive into that one now or kind of a little bit later? Sure,
01:17 --> 01:21 sure. I think just, you know, um, it's funny, it's an interesting time for me
01:21 --> 01:23 to be talking about this with you now. My oldest is— or my, excuse me,
01:23 --> 01:26 my oldest is starting kindergarten this fall, so this is my first time actually doing
01:27 --> 01:31 back-to-school shopping. And very fun. It's fun to see, you know, how kiddos are reaching
01:31 --> 01:34 for, you know, how— whether they're wearing uniforms, maybe they aren't,
01:35 --> 01:38 but how they can kind of show off what they're about, their personal style,
01:38 --> 01:41 their interests type of things. And that's, you know, through everything from your daily water
01:42 --> 01:45 bottle to, you know, the bag charms that we're seeing, which is such a resurgence
01:45 --> 01:49 from like Y2K era, you know, that I lived through as a child. And,
01:50 --> 01:53 you know, bag charms and kind of plushy, you know, keychains, that kind of thing.
01:54 --> 01:57 Backpacks that show off, you know, their favorite movie characters. Backpacks are a big,
01:58 --> 02:00 huge deal. That's like the item that especially for the little ones. Yes. Getting their
02:01 --> 02:05 very first backpack to fill it up with all their goodies. It's a very
02:05 --> 02:08 special item. That was definitely the exciting kind of pick among my kids. I have
02:08 --> 02:11 a preschooler and a kindergartner. The backpack, it was a very tough decision, you know,
02:11 --> 02:15 important to them. Personalization, customization,
02:15 --> 02:17 you know, whether it's like patches, you know, monogram, that kind of thing. And,
02:17 --> 02:21 you know, we're seeing that even, you know, infiltrating into adult consumer habits
02:22 --> 02:26 as well. What else from a trend standpoint? Oh, kind of a
02:26 --> 02:29 resurgence of like, excuse me, sporty-inspired,
02:30 --> 02:32 kind of like seeing how that can Excuse me, I need to grab a drink
02:33 --> 02:35 of water quick. We just talked about having a bug in my throat and now
02:36 --> 02:39 it's happening to me. To your point, I think the patches is so
02:40 --> 02:44 great too. We're seeing that with even retailers. Addicted a few weeks ago had a
02:44 --> 02:48 denim patch event too where people can add their own patches, personalize those things.
02:48 --> 02:51 So I think those are making a huge comeback too with denim and backpacks and
02:51 --> 02:53 really all sorts of things. Yeah, tote bags, all of that. Totally. What I love
02:53 --> 02:57 about that trend is it's something that can be very inexpensive, but yet
02:57 --> 03:01 add a great flair of something personalized. Because when you're young especially,
03:01 --> 03:04 it's hard to invest too much First of all, from a parent perspective,
03:05 --> 03:08 but also totally having those fun things that they can be part of, they can
03:08 --> 03:11 create or they can select. And it's things that you can change out too because
03:12 --> 03:15 it's not a super expensive item on the list. Totally. I mean, it even trickles
03:15 --> 03:18 down to like the little— what are they? The gibbets that go on the cross,
03:19 --> 03:21 you know, just like little decisions that kiddos can be involved in and helping them
03:22 --> 03:24 kind of show up in the world. So age it up a little bit when
03:24 --> 03:27 we're starting to talk about junior high, high school. What are some of those bigger
03:27 --> 03:31 trends, maybe specific pieces, colors, fabrics? What are you seeing out there?
03:31 --> 03:35 Yeah, definitely kind of that back to that Y2K resurgence,
03:35 --> 03:38 '90s, you know, whether that's through like utilitarian kind
03:39 --> 03:42 of cargo-inspired, you know, baggies everywhere, whether or not
03:43 --> 03:46 we like it, you know, kind of looser fitting silhouettes, you know, the lower rise,
03:46 --> 03:50 that kind of thing, you know, baggy on baggy, you know, graphic tees and,
03:50 --> 03:54 you know, things that, that kind of could play back into the personalization element too.
03:54 --> 03:57 But kind of the graphic tees, the kind of marrying the high and the
03:57 --> 04:01 low or, you know, fun juxtaposition of like a baby tee with a,
04:01 --> 04:04 you know, wider bottom, a lot of those longer skirts. And those,
04:04 --> 04:08 you know, looser fitting pants. What else?
04:09 --> 04:11 Sneakers. I feel like, you know, and even just shoes across the board, it's kind
04:12 --> 04:15 of that resurgence of what we saw in the '90s and early 2000s, like the
04:16 --> 04:19 Doc Martens, the loafers, the sneakers, kind of those slim,
04:19 --> 04:22 low profile, kind of retro, kind of runner-inspired sneakers,
04:23 --> 04:26 which come in so many fun throwback colorways. We have a lot
04:26 --> 04:30 of fans in our office that love their sneakers. Yes. I mean, it's comfortable too.
04:31 --> 04:33 It's really important. Totally. But you kind of have different sneakers for different purposes,
04:34 --> 04:37 whether it's athletics or if it's street or it's stylish.
04:37 --> 04:39 Like, there's a lot of different things and you can have a lot of fun.
04:39 --> 04:41 I love all the new colors that are out there and you can really style
04:42 --> 04:45 an outfit really cute. Yeah, and it's like there are no rules anymore with kind
04:45 --> 04:48 of those like sporty-leaning pieces, right? Where I feel like in the past it used
04:49 --> 04:51 to be like sneakers were, you know, reserved for your athleisure or kind of your
04:51 --> 04:54 running around, your casual days, your errands, that kind of thing. And kiddos now,
04:55 --> 04:58 they do a really kind of fun job juxtaposing those sportier pieces, like those track
04:59 --> 05:02 jackets we're seeing everywhere, those track pants, those shorts, with kind of a more elevated
05:03 --> 05:05 top or bottom to kind of give it an interesting edge a little bit,
05:05 --> 05:09 which I'm definitely seeing a ton of. Of across the board, different ages,
05:09 --> 05:11 especially that junior high age that you mentioned. I love the mixing and matching,
05:12 --> 05:15 and I love the high-low trend as well, because you can have a few items
05:15 --> 05:18 that you invest in that you feel are more special, and then
05:19 --> 05:21 you have those other versatile pieces that you can mix and match more. So I
05:22 --> 05:26 like that high-low, and especially because different price points, it's good for a variety of
05:26 --> 05:29 different families and what they can afford this season. And they're really,
05:30 --> 05:33 you know, that's exactly it. They want to dress
05:34 --> 05:36 like their friends, but they're also getting a ton of inspiration from their friends.
05:36 --> 05:37 You know, it's an interesting age, and I'm sure we're going to dive into that
05:38 --> 05:40 with like digital and tech, and all of that. So it's just kind of a
05:40 --> 05:44 funny thing to witness. Yeah. Emmy, anything to add? No, I think you're totally right.
05:44 --> 05:48 I really go back to the ballet flats, the new Adidas ballet flats. Those are
05:48 --> 05:52 sneakerinas. Yeah, those are so popular right now and they can be dressed up
05:52 --> 05:56 or down too. I think I'm seeing that a lot with that like teenage audience
05:56 --> 05:59 too. So I think a lot of that athleisure is coming back. We have a
05:59 --> 06:01 lot of athleisure here too that's been really popular.
06:02 --> 06:06 Lulu, Aritzia, they're coming out with that like crossover of the nice dress
06:06 --> 06:09 pants, but they're also that like athleisure material too, which I know kids are loving
06:09 --> 06:13 these days too, which is really nice to see. Definitely. Especially when you have
06:13 --> 06:16 the high schoolers that are starting to look to kind of upstyle their wardrobe
06:17 --> 06:20 a little bit, starting to get those pieces as they're entering the workforce and
06:20 --> 06:24 things like that. Like they're great alternatives to the dressy
06:24 --> 06:28 clothes that you eventually grow into. But you talked about kind
06:28 --> 06:32 of influence. So when you look at TikTok, Instagram, are there specific things
06:32 --> 06:36 that maybe parents should know about that are out there that are trending
06:36 --> 06:38 that they should be aware of that their kids kids might come, you know,
06:39 --> 06:41 pulling on their sleeve a little bit of, hey, we need to get some of
06:42 --> 06:45 these trendy items? Anything that you guys are seeing on TikTok and Instagram? Oh my
06:45 --> 06:49 gosh, I'm seeing so many back-to-school hauls specifically for people coming here
06:50 --> 06:53 to the mall. So I feel like it might not even be necessarily pieces but
06:53 --> 06:57 stores. I feel like I'm seeing the same stores with some of this like young
06:57 --> 07:01 teen slash, you know, um, high schooler audience that
07:01 --> 07:05 like, um, Aerie, to your point, where it's like the athleisure or the like loungewear
07:05 --> 07:08 that you can dress up or down, Aritzia, where you can find like those staple
07:08 --> 07:12 pieces. So some of those. I think it's a lot about what I'm seeing is
07:12 --> 07:15 the stores that people are shopping at rather than some of the pieces. And when
07:15 --> 07:19 it comes to pieces, I think it's a lot of those staple
07:19 --> 07:22 items that are going to maybe cost a little bit more but last you
07:22 --> 07:26 a long time, that like capsule wardrobe sort of style. Certainly.
07:26 --> 07:29 I think it's a
07:29 --> 07:32 great kind of avenue for people, you know, getting inspiration.
07:32 --> 07:36 It's also a little bit of a slippery slope too, right? Because content has never
07:36 --> 07:39 been so readily at, like, youth's fingertips, right? It's ever-evolving and
07:39 --> 07:43 ever-changing. And the trend cycle, I think we're seeing it play out. Trends are constantly
07:44 --> 07:47 changing and evolving and coming up to the surface so much quicker than usual,
07:47 --> 07:51 just because, you know, with that, you know, infiltration of social media.
07:52 --> 07:55 And so I think that's definitely where they're getting inspiration. You know, it's— I always
07:55 --> 07:58 find it so interesting, like, what makes a piece go viral, whether it's
07:59 --> 08:02 those try-on hauls that you just talked about or a specific store
08:02 --> 08:05 and a piece. And it just— it never ceases to amaze me how just like
08:05 --> 08:08 that, a piece is hard to track down, whether it's just a, you know,
08:08 --> 08:12 a little quarter zip or a track jacket or something. And it's just such
08:12 --> 08:14 a different way than, you know, we grew up, right? As far as like where
08:15 --> 08:18 we were getting our inspiration, just that trend cycle and those micro trends and those
08:18 --> 08:21 kind of aesthetics that we see play out and how they kind of gain momentum.
08:22 --> 08:25 And just, it's fascinating. Well, I think there's a lot
08:26 --> 08:30 of smart shoppers out there, especially the younger generation looking for like
08:30 --> 08:34 thrifting type of finds, you know, when they can find a dupe or something that,
08:34 --> 08:37 you know, they have that inspiration from social. So it's like you don't have to
08:38 --> 08:41 get those expensive items, but you can be inspired to find something that's similar,
08:41 --> 08:45 um, and looking for the secondhand or finding those opportunities where
08:45 --> 08:48 maybe there's a, a lower-end opportunity for them to match that
08:49 --> 08:52 style. So what about colors? What are you guys seeing for colors for the fall?
08:52 --> 08:56 Oh, that's a good question. I'm, I'm not going to go with
08:56 --> 08:58 a color, but I'm going to go with like a pattern. I'm seeing a lot
08:59 --> 09:02 of polka dots, tons of polka dots, um, stripes too.
09:02 --> 09:06 I feel like stripes are really in, more like color blocking where
09:06 --> 09:09 it's like you mix-match a lot of like those bigger popping colors are really big
09:09 --> 09:12 right now too. But I would say it's more like patterns is what I'm Yeah,
09:12 --> 09:15 and then, I mean, you hit the nail on the head too with the colors,
09:15 --> 09:19 which I feel like we're typically kind of primed and trained to believe that
09:19 --> 09:22 like fall starts as kind of neutral heavy, right? It's camels,
09:22 --> 09:26 it's black, gray, navy, you know, kind of that argyle, those plaids,
09:26 --> 09:29 all those things that we see. I'm seeing just especially what we even like,
09:29 --> 09:31 you know, what started at the runways and it all kind of trickles down,
09:32 --> 09:35 right? Bright color, bright, you know, color blocking, kind of that
09:36 --> 09:39 return to like maximalism dressing has totally been an
09:39 --> 09:43 interesting, you know, pendulum shift coming off of like kind of that minimalism, kind of
09:43 --> 09:47 quiet luxurious. Aesthetic that everyone used to talk about. Bright color blocking, you know,
09:47 --> 09:51 just pairing, you know, unlikely pairings like a
09:51 --> 09:54 red with a pink or, you know, a purple with a yellow, that kind of
09:54 --> 09:57 thing. As well as polka dots,
09:58 --> 10:01 plaids, checks, you know, argyle, kind of those fun, like, quintessential, like,
10:01 --> 10:04 rite of passage fall prints. As well as, you know,
10:04 --> 10:08 animal print, but in kind of fun ways. Like, obviously leopard, you know,
10:08 --> 10:11 cheetah, that's kind of a neutral and something we expect to see come onto the
10:11 --> 10:15 scene in the fall. But those kind of fun like cow prints and the zebra,
10:15 --> 10:19 that fawn kind of deer print. It's kind of interesting. Yeah. Even like with
10:20 --> 10:22 texture too, like it's not always just the print. It's also the texture too of
10:23 --> 10:26 like those prints that make the pieces really fun or those staple pieces. The mohair,
10:27 --> 10:31 some of that fringe. Yeah, definitely. Well, it's definitely not easy to transition from
10:31 --> 10:35 summer to fall because that first day of school, the kids really want
10:35 --> 10:39 to put that first new outfit on. And oftentimes it's either long sleeve or
10:39 --> 10:42 it's denim or, you know, it's a little bit for the cooler weather. So any
10:42 --> 10:45 thoughts on kind of of those things to look out for for
10:46 --> 10:49 that first day of school photo? Oh, I think layers. Layers is
10:50 --> 10:53 always good. Layering on some of those pieces, like having like a really fun jacket
10:54 --> 10:56 as, you know, you're getting to school. Maybe it's like a little colder in the
10:57 --> 11:00 morning, but then having, you know, taking it off, having those layers, I feel like
11:00 --> 11:03 is really fun. To your point for that first day of school, you kind of
11:04 --> 11:07 like mix and match your outfits that way too with your school picture is having
11:07 --> 11:10 some of those layers. Accessories too.
11:10 --> 11:14 Scarves are really big right now. Bandanas too, where like those headbands
11:14 --> 11:18 are really fun right now too. So So just layering, accessorizing, I think would be
11:18 --> 11:21 really fun for that first day of school look. Well, we recently did a
11:22 --> 11:24 survey for back-to-school. We've been doing this the last couple years to really get a
11:25 --> 11:27 gauge of where people are at, where they're spending, how— what they're looking at.
11:28 --> 11:31 And we had 65% of the shoppers actually purchase back-to-school
11:32 --> 11:35 items after seeing it on social media. So coming back to that,
11:35 --> 11:39 it's such a driving influence. Are there specific
11:40 --> 11:44 people to follow or brands to keep an eye on or any advice
11:44 --> 11:47 that you have both for the young people that are looking for these items,
11:47 --> 11:49 but also for the parents parents to maybe get tips and tricks?
11:49 --> 11:53 It's a good question. I think right
11:53 --> 11:57 now the people to look for are not even really like influencers.
11:57 --> 12:00 It's just like normal people doing their hauls that are blowing up right now.
12:00 --> 12:04 So just like a simple, like on any social media platform is looking up back-to-school
12:05 --> 12:08 haul, looking at those, leaning on those people that are like the ones going back
12:08 --> 12:12 to school. The real, totally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They feel more realistic is leaning
12:12 --> 12:16 on those. And then parents too. It's like, I'm not in school anymore,
12:16 --> 12:18 but I think it's so fun seeing what people are into. My sister's in high
12:19 --> 12:21 school, so I love to see what the kids are up to, also kind of
12:21 --> 12:24 staying cool, you know, letting her know that I know about the trends. So really
12:24 --> 12:27 just leaning on the real-life people that are doing their unboxings and
12:28 --> 12:31 their hauls for back to school. And sharing, I think that's a good point about,
12:31 --> 12:34 of course, we all have our favorite influencers to follow and they, you know,
12:35 --> 12:38 serve a certain purpose online, but some of those kind of real approachable
12:38 --> 12:41 voices too that are sharing like what's working, what's not working, and they're giving kind
12:41 --> 12:44 of honest takes on products more so because, you know, maybe they're not getting paid
12:45 --> 12:47 to do so. They're just kind of creating content for the sake of creating content
12:47 --> 12:51 that's useful for both parents and kiddos alike, certainly. Yeah, you talked
12:52 --> 12:54 a little bit about kind of the throwback or bringing some of those things forward.
12:54 --> 12:58 And we actually, we continue to see this in trends from entertainment
12:58 --> 13:01 to fashion to just all the things that we touch here at the mall.
13:01 --> 13:04 And actually the survey also said that over 41% of the shoppers said they would
13:05 --> 13:08 purchase brands or products that they enjoyed growing up with. And I think whether that's
13:08 --> 13:11 something they saw their parents enjoy or something that is just
13:12 --> 13:15 coming back into the marketplace. So anything that you would see in
13:15 --> 13:19 addition to the athletic kind of throwback piece, anything else that you'd see
13:19 --> 13:22 in fashion right now that's looking at more of that nostalgia feel
13:23 --> 13:26 or inspiration? Yeah, I think it just, it goes back to kind of a macro
13:27 --> 13:30 trend we're seeing as far as like the younger generations are kind of craving that
13:31 --> 13:34 like analog kind of vibe. Like it's like getting out and shopping in real
13:34 --> 13:37 life and kind of whether it's, you know, the '90s,
13:37 --> 13:41 whether it's early aughts, kind of the bright colors, the prints,
13:41 --> 13:44 some of those things, like kind of that old school Americana, those stripes,
13:44 --> 13:48 that kind of thing. It's fun to see that, like, you know,
13:48 --> 13:51 how we wore that someday and how it's kind of being readapted and
13:52 --> 13:55 kind of and shifted to kind of meet the kids today. You know,
13:56 --> 13:58 it's just so true when it comes to fashion, what goes around truly does come
13:58 --> 14:02 around. And, you know, it's always humbling to see those things come back onto the
14:03 --> 14:07 scene when we once wore them. But yeah, I mean, it's— but it's also fun
14:07 --> 14:10 to see them kind of put their own personal spin on a trend or a
14:10 --> 14:12 piece as well and kind of how they make it a little bit more modern.
14:12 --> 14:16 For sure. I cringed when you said the low rise. I was like,
14:17 --> 14:20 oh, I thought that was gone. Certainly. As much as we all love having
14:21 --> 14:23 them a little bit higher rise. Yes. But are there any other trends? You guys
14:24 --> 14:27 are younger than I am. I mean, I'm seeing things cycle through now multiple times
14:27 --> 14:30 through my generations being alive. Any other trends that you're like, oh,
14:31 --> 14:34 is that really back? Are we really doing this again? I'm seeing a lot of
14:35 --> 14:38 the fold-over yoga pants again coming back, like very like Juicy Couture
14:39 --> 14:43 style. Some of those like matching sets, maybe not like the super blinged
14:44 --> 14:47 out like they were back then, but now they're just like more put
14:48 --> 14:50 together. So like those sets are kind of coming back to like the, like I
14:50 --> 14:54 said, Juicy Couture. Oh my gosh, what else?
14:54 --> 14:57 Even just, I know we have a few products here on the table, the fold-over
14:57 --> 15:00 or like the really fun ruffly socks too. Those are really popular,
15:00 --> 15:04 very like schoolgirl style. I feel like those are coming back even
15:04 --> 15:07 with the Adidas ballet flats too. Those are super popular, making them fun,
15:08 --> 15:11 customizing them, making them your own. And the socks are another good example
15:11 --> 15:14 of like, maybe you can't bust out all that new stuff you bought for the
15:14 --> 15:18 school year, it's too warm. Well, get in, you know, a fun sock, a piece
15:18 --> 15:21 of jewelry, you know, an ear stack, kind of a fun, you know, arm party
15:21 --> 15:24 or neck party or something to kind of still show off like something fun and
15:24 --> 15:27 new that you bought but but maybe the weather doesn't allow for it yet.
15:27 --> 15:30 I love that you called attention to the table. We've got some goodies out here.
15:30 --> 15:33 Anything else you want to call out? I know you guys talked about water bottles,
15:33 --> 15:37 like personalization, that's a big thing. We've got a lot of different stores here that
15:37 --> 15:41 offer water bottles and customization. Waterdrop, I know, is a great one for getting that
15:41 --> 15:44 personalization. Anything else on the table that you'd like to call out? Oh my gosh,
15:44 --> 15:47 the Needles, I feel like, are so popular, which I love. I feel like it
15:47 --> 15:50 keeps people busy. It keeps them, like, distracted, but in a way that they can
15:51 --> 15:54 still pay attention to. I'm all for the Needles. I have one myself, but they're
15:54 --> 15:58 really nice. Like, they don't cause a major distraction. Disruption in the classroom or whatever
15:58 --> 16:01 it is. It just like keeps you busy. It's fun. It's pretty inexpensive
16:02 --> 16:04 too, and it doesn't have to be a needle. It can be any sort of
16:04 --> 16:07 fidget. So I think right now kids are just so focused on being on their
16:08 --> 16:11 phones all the time, you know, and just putting their attention into multiple
16:12 --> 16:14 things at once. So having just something physical you can mess around with while you're
16:15 --> 16:18 in class without causing a disruption, I think is really nice too. Do you have
16:18 --> 16:21 those all over your office? Because they are all over our office. No, I don't,
16:21 --> 16:24 but I'm like, I think everybody brings them to meetings. Everybody has their needle.
16:25 --> 16:25 It's very fun. Good to know it's not only reserved for the kids. That sounds
16:26 --> 16:29 like something for Kids of all ages, that is for
16:30 --> 16:33 sure. Are you guys still seeing the, like, I mean, the Le Boos and kind
16:33 --> 16:37 of all those plushies? I found it so crazy how quickly they came onto the
16:37 --> 16:40 scene. They're everywhere. Emmy, how many Le Boos do you have? I call them my
16:41 --> 16:44 children. They're all dressed too, so I have plenty.
16:44 --> 16:48 I think, yes, they're still really in, but also people are transitioning maybe not
16:48 --> 16:51 from like Le Boos, but to those bag charms, like DIY bag
16:51 --> 16:55 charms. Some of those, like we have some fun attraction ones like Patrick
16:56 --> 16:59 and SpongeBob. So not just Le Boos, but other things to hang on your
16:59 --> 17:03 whether it's your backpack, your purse, your tote, whatever that is. So something
17:03 --> 17:07 similar to LeBoubous, but not necessarily LeBoubous exactly.
17:07 --> 17:10 Just, yeah, really fun things you can customize to your own style.
17:10 --> 17:13 The grown-ups and the parents have been getting into the bag charms too, not just
17:13 --> 17:16 the kids. Absolutely. Whether it's a scarf or the charm, you can dazzle up your
17:17 --> 17:20 bag. So people are gonna be looking for deals. We're always looking for a good
17:21 --> 17:24 sale. So looking for value, what would you say, you know,
17:24 --> 17:27 where you maybe should invest invest a little bit more in? That might be,
17:27 --> 17:30 to your point, like a capsule collection, like something that you might have for a
17:30 --> 17:34 little bit of time versus something that's a little bit more trendy, maybe shorter
17:34 --> 17:38 life. But also recognizing that these kids grow fast.
17:38 --> 17:41 Having 2 children that are out of that stage now, it's like,
17:41 --> 17:45 man, I felt like every 6 months I was buying new shoes or new pants.
17:45 --> 17:48 And it's like, it's a lot. So help parents, guide them
17:49 --> 17:52 of like, what, where should they spend more of their money versus where can they
17:52 --> 17:55 find some more deal saving opportunities? I think certainly
17:56 --> 17:59 the items that get the most mileage, you know, whether that's a
18:00 --> 18:02 great bag, a backpack, you know, things that kind of go through a lot of
18:02 --> 18:06 wear and tear, there's an argument for, you know, spending a little extra buck on
18:06 --> 18:10 that just to make sure that it does, you know, stand a longer time,
18:10 --> 18:13 as well as kind of those just elevated basics, things that you're constantly layering and
18:13 --> 18:16 wearing different ways. I think a lot of people can kind of scoff and roll
18:17 --> 18:20 their eye at like spending X amount on just a plain white tee or a
18:20 --> 18:23 nice, you know, sweater, whether that's a wool makeup or a cashmere blend or whatever
18:24 --> 18:25 that is. You do kind of— I think you do get your money's worth you
18:26 --> 18:29 get what you pay for in that, in that aspect. And, you know, ways that
18:29 --> 18:31 you can kind of style them up or down or in different pairings that they
18:32 --> 18:35 can look like a different piece entirely, but you can just get creative
18:36 --> 18:39 with how you're wearing it. I think that's worth your, your money. Um, what do
18:39 --> 18:43 you think? Yeah, I agree with that. Just investing in those staple pieces
18:43 --> 18:46 that, to your point, you can layer. But I'm seeing— what I'm seeing a lot
18:46 --> 18:50 from retailers now is we're seeing a lot of promotions,
18:50 --> 18:53 or the retailers that sell denim or shoes, they have— they're the ones that
18:53 --> 18:56 usually tend to have more of those sales right now too with back to school.
18:56 --> 19:00 So maybe leaning on some of those sales to invest in those shoes
19:00 --> 19:04 or pair of jeans. And even some retailers, we're seeing
19:04 --> 19:07 that maybe they might not be like a thrift retailer,
19:07 --> 19:11 but they are having events where they focus on that sustainability. For example,
19:11 --> 19:14 Fabletics, I believe it was last weekend, they had a trade-in denim event where you
19:14 --> 19:17 can trade in a pair of jeans, whatever brand, and you get a brand new
19:18 --> 19:20 one completely free. All you have to do is just trade in. So it kind
19:21 --> 19:25 of leans into that thrifting sustainability feel, but still
19:26 --> 19:28 still, you know, within one of our retailers here. So, um, in using the deals
19:29 --> 19:32 to invest in some of those pieces like denim and shoes that are typically
19:33 --> 19:36 more expensive, but then spending that money on, to your point, the white t-shirt or
19:36 --> 19:40 the tank tops that you can layer, and then just buying some fun accessories that
19:40 --> 19:43 you could layer on— the scarves, the headbands, whatever that is too. No,
19:43 --> 19:47 I love when these retailers are being creative and leaning into sustainability
19:48 --> 19:51 because it is a lot— there are a lot of products that don't
19:51 --> 19:54 get wore very much that they need to trade in for that next size,
19:54 --> 19:57 as I was talking about. So I think it's really smart that they're doing that.
19:57 --> 20:00 And we have a lot of that information on our website. So as you look
20:00 --> 20:04 at the back-to-school content, whether it's deals or the stores that are featuring
20:04 --> 20:08 some great new trends and some different items definitely coming. Because I think people
20:08 --> 20:12 rush to feel like they have that one back-to-school shop. But we
20:12 --> 20:15 see that here where it's like, you know, come out and check things out,
20:15 --> 20:18 get a few things, go back to school and see what everybody else is
20:18 --> 20:22 wearing, get a few more things. So if parents and families have the
20:22 --> 20:25 opportunity to do that, to be able to go back multiple times, it's nice to
20:25 --> 20:28 be able to mix it up a little bit. But the back-to-school school experience is
20:28 --> 20:32 really more than that shopping list. I would love to talk about that more because
20:32 --> 20:35 we see that it's a tradition. It is something that families look
20:35 --> 20:39 forward to, whether it's parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles bringing kids
20:40 --> 20:43 out. It's a lot of fun. So what are you guys seeing in that space
20:43 --> 20:46 as more of an experience versus just that shopping list?
20:47 --> 20:50 Yeah, it's funny. I mean, I was talking about that right when I got here.
20:51 --> 20:53 I was so excited to take my little guy, you know, out to the store.
20:54 --> 20:57 It was a morning just for he and I. And, you know, I know there
20:57 --> 21:01 are many options now on the market about like, back-to-school shopping in a box,
21:01 --> 21:04 and everything is, you know, online and easy now. But there's something
21:04 --> 21:08 about that, that it— going back to school, regardless of what grade you're
21:08 --> 21:11 going into, can bring up a little, you know, some nerves. It can be a
21:11 --> 21:15 little bit chaotic. And it's like making this, this kind of fun tradition,
21:15 --> 21:19 kind of this experience with your family, your friends. Um, I think it speaks
21:19 --> 21:21 to a broader trend too that we're seeing just in retail in general. And of
21:21 --> 21:24 course, you can touch on this much better than I can, but, you know,
21:24 --> 21:28 it goes back to kind of that analog, like, experience, like unplug and unwind
21:28 --> 21:32 and kind of explore and and make it, you know, retail's all about experience
21:33 --> 21:36 now. You're shopping, but you're dining, and you're maybe playing mini golf, or, you know,
21:36 --> 21:38 you're going on a ride, or you're checking out a new experience. And I think
21:39 --> 21:42 that's what consumers are craving in today's retail world,
21:42 --> 21:46 because that can't be replicated online. So why not translate that to back-to-school shopping
21:47 --> 21:50 and make it, you know, kind of a memorable experience for everybody? Absolutely. Yeah.
21:50 --> 21:54 And I think back-to-school shopping necessarily isn't always about how many item
21:55 --> 21:58 pieces of clothing you get. I think it's really about, like, you know, you're going
21:58 --> 22:00 to go back to school soon. Schedules are going to get busy. You're not going
22:00 --> 22:03 to maybe spend as as much time with your family or
22:04 --> 22:06 your siblings, whatever that is. But it's really a time to just spend together.
22:06 --> 22:09 I feel like when I think of when I went back-to-school shopping, I don't think
22:10 --> 22:13 about the items that I bought or my parents bought me. It was more about
22:13 --> 22:16 like, oh my gosh, we had so much fun, spent a whole day shopping,
22:16 --> 22:18 but also we went out to eat together and we like had that family time
22:18 --> 22:21 together. We, you know, went on a ride or two. So we made some of
22:22 --> 22:25 those memories. So I think it's really more about finding that,
22:26 --> 22:30 to your point, unplugged time together rather than what you're purchasing. It's really
22:30 --> 22:33 just about making those last memories before you have to go back to school and
22:33 --> 22:36 it gets a little chaotic. Kind of like a reset, you know, you're ushering in
22:36 --> 22:39 a new season, whether that's for the parents as they're setting the kids to go
22:39 --> 22:42 back to school or the kids actually going back to school themselves. So do either
22:43 --> 22:46 of you have fun memories or traditions that you had when you were young that
22:46 --> 22:50 you hold to your heart and then hopefully, you know, pass on to nieces and
22:50 --> 22:54 nephews or your own kids? Yeah. Oh my gosh, such a good question. I think
22:54 --> 22:58 it's just about the spending time together, really just like picking out pieces like with
22:58 --> 23:01 my siblings. And I'm the oldest, so also watching them grow up, see like what
23:02 --> 23:03 they were into. Oh, so you didn't get any hand-me-downs. You had— No. You were
23:04 --> 23:08 the lucky one. I gave you all my hand-me-downs. So, yeah, let me
23:08 --> 23:11 tell you, I was the youngest of 5 girls. I had a lot of hand-me-downs.
23:11 --> 23:13 So, you were the lucky number one.
23:15 --> 23:18 But yeah, just really that spending that time together. Like, I knew,
23:18 --> 23:21 like, you know, we would all be together for the full day. So, just making
23:22 --> 23:25 those memories and knowing that, you know, my brother was in sports.
23:25 --> 23:28 So, my parents would get really busy with him. And so, it was just so
23:29 --> 23:32 nice spending that undivided time together. And just getting
23:32 --> 23:36 little treats along the way too. I think people love to get their treats
23:36 --> 23:40 nowadays too. So just some of those memories together, one of my
23:40 --> 23:44 favorites. We were not surprised to see that almost 70% of the people that responded
23:44 --> 23:47 said that it was more than just shopping. It is about the experience. And especially
23:47 --> 23:50 here at the mall, we love when people can come and spend the whole day
23:50 --> 23:53 or weekend. And we get a lot of drive market families. So they're coming to
23:54 --> 23:57 not only get their back-to-school items, but also to create those memories as a family
23:57 --> 24:00 and go on rides and go for dinner. So we love to see that.
24:00 --> 24:03 And we also, you know, seeing this resurgence, especially the younger
24:04 --> 24:07 generation, of wanting to be in person and be in the mall and that nostalgia
24:08 --> 24:11 of shopping together with friends and finding all those fun treasures
24:12 --> 24:15 and deals. Anything else with regards to whether you're hearing from the retailers
24:15 --> 24:19 or you're hearing from the industry about just this resurgence
24:19 --> 24:24 of coming back to the mall to enjoy shopping in person versus online? I think
24:24 --> 24:28 it's just that element of like connection and community. I think
24:28 --> 24:32 it's so easy to get lost behind our screens and those certainly serve a
24:32 --> 24:35 purpose and they're not going anywhere whether we like that or not, you know,
24:35 --> 24:38 but it's like, you know, remembering kind of what it's all about. And it's
24:39 --> 24:42 about connecting with our friends, with our families, that kind of thing. And it's fun
24:42 --> 24:46 seeing some of the teens, you know, prioritize like crafting,
24:46 --> 24:49 like that's a big thing, or, you know, taking up new hobbies or,
24:50 --> 24:53 you know, make sourdough, that kind of thing. It's fun to kind of see
24:53 --> 24:55 the pendulum swing the other way a little bit where they have this tech,
24:55 --> 24:59 but also, you know, taking time to journal and, you know, the art
25:00 --> 25:02 of the handwritten letter, that kind of thing. It's fun to see that. I am
25:02 --> 25:06 seeing, you know, speaking just to retailers across the board in the
25:06 --> 25:10 metro area, that those categories are actually performing really well, kind of those analog-focused
25:11 --> 25:14 kind of experience products. I assume you're seeing the same thing here.
25:14 --> 25:18 Yeah, definitely seeing a lot of that too. Another thing I'm seeing that retailers
25:18 --> 25:22 are really leaning into is allowing their employees to create that content too. Like,
25:22 --> 25:26 for example, our garage store just expanded and a ton of their employees
25:26 --> 25:28 were creating content and it just seems like they were letting them do that,
25:28 --> 25:31 which was so fun to see. Like, they kind of showed you behind the scenes,
25:31 --> 25:35 like setting up, opening up the store, what's in store. So I think that's
25:35 --> 25:39 fun too, is they're kind of becoming ambassadors for these brands, but people
25:39 --> 25:42 may be leaning on them a little bit more than an influencer or creator because
25:42 --> 25:45 they're, they're everyday working. So I think that's something that I've been seeing a lot
25:46 --> 25:49 from retailers is letting their employees kind of get a little bit more freedom
25:50 --> 25:53 with what they post and giving those behind-the-scenes looks, which I think the younger
25:53 --> 25:57 audience is really enjoying right now. Anything else from our retailers
25:57 --> 26:00 that you want to plug? Oh my gosh, I think, um,
26:01 --> 26:05 just leaning into those deals too. Something I always tell people is use
26:06 --> 26:09 your student discount, use your teacher discounts. I feel like people forget that you can
26:09 --> 26:14 just use those discounts. It doesn't always hurt to ask. Right now on our back-to-school
26:14 --> 26:18 landing page, we're showcasing all our retailers that do take those student
26:19 --> 26:22 discounts. So leaning on those, not just now during the back-to-school season, but to your
26:22 --> 26:25 point, like going back to school, seeing what's trending, and then coming back and purchasing
26:25 --> 26:29 more items too once you're back in school. So making sure you take advantage
26:29 --> 26:33 of the deals that are available to you. I love that. So what's
26:33 --> 26:37 one final piece of advice that you guys have for shoppers,
26:37 --> 26:40 whether that's the kids going back to school or their parents, something that will help
26:41 --> 26:44 reduce the stress, build the excitement, and get them ready for the back-to-school
26:45 --> 26:48 season? Madeline, you have— Yeah, I'd say it doesn't all have to happen in 2
26:48 --> 26:52 days. And it also doesn't all have to happen before— it sounds kind of,
26:52 --> 26:55 you know, a little bit contrarian, but it doesn't have to happen right before the
26:56 --> 26:57 first day of school. You can kind of start to ease in. Of course,
26:57 --> 27:00 the supplies, those things have to be purchased. You have the teacher list, that kind
27:00 --> 27:04 of thing. But from an apparel standpoint or an accessory standpoint, you know,
27:05 --> 27:08 we just talked about how influenced kids are by their peers, by social media,
27:08 --> 27:12 all of that. Undoubtedly, a child's going to come home after a day or two,
27:12 --> 27:16 a weekend, and say, I saw that, you know, pair of sneakers or that jacket
27:16 --> 27:19 or that something, and they're going to want to add something to their, you know,
27:19 --> 27:22 wardrobe. So, I think listening to them too
27:23 --> 27:27 and kind of helping them guide you as well, you know, starting it,
27:27 --> 27:29 you know, upfront and getting a couple things, getting the lay of the land and
27:30 --> 27:32 ready to go, but it doesn't have to be this kind of quick, you know,
27:32 --> 27:36 one-and-done process. Yeah, absolutely. I think getting your,
27:36 --> 27:40 like, creating maybe a list of, like, what I absolutely need to get today.
27:40 --> 27:43 Like, my kids, kids' shoes are just destroyed and they need new shoes. Getting your
27:43 --> 27:46 wants or your needs, but then also leaving a little bit of room for what
27:46 --> 27:50 your wants— or maybe like leaving room to discover a new store
27:50 --> 27:54 or like stumble upon a new attraction. Having that flexibility, you don't— especially I
27:55 --> 27:58 feel like coming to the mall, it can be really overwhelming. But also let yourself
27:58 --> 28:01 just discover things. And you don't have to have a super long list of every
28:02 --> 28:04 single store you need to hit. It's just what do you really need to get
28:04 --> 28:07 today? And then have fun with the rest of it. Enjoy it. Take it all
28:07 --> 28:10 in. I love the experience addition. Like get the things and then go on a
28:11 --> 28:13 ride, or get the things and grab a bite Like, that was my memory with
28:14 --> 28:17 my mom growing up. It was— I'm the youngest of— but I have an
28:18 --> 28:21 older brother, so hand-me-downs sadly didn't work for me, but they're 5 and 7 years
28:21 --> 28:24 older than I am, and they were in the sports day, you know, activities,
28:25 --> 28:27 you know, like those summer sports, those fall sports started as early as summer,
28:28 --> 28:30 and I just— my memory every year was just out to lunch with my mom.
28:31 --> 28:32 Who knows what I even bought at the time, but of course, I thought it
28:32 --> 28:35 was the most important thing, but really, I remember that act of going out to
28:35 --> 28:37 eat with her and doing something fun, or maybe we'd go to the pool after,
28:37 --> 28:39 do something. It was that day carved out for just the two of us,
28:40 --> 28:43 of us to kind of, you know, get back-to-school ready and it's just forever ingrained
28:44 --> 28:46 in you. We always talk about you don't remember what you purchased, but you remember
28:46 --> 28:49 who you were with and how you feel. And that's what's key. And one of
28:49 --> 28:53 the tips I would share is set a budget and let the kids be part
28:54 --> 28:57 of managing that budget, no matter how old they are. Because if they start
28:58 --> 29:00 selecting things that are the most important, then, you know, they might cost a little
29:01 --> 29:04 bit more, then they have to fluctuate, you know, on some of the other things.
29:04 --> 29:07 And it really helps teach the kids how to manage money a little bit.
29:07 --> 29:09 And it's kind of fun when they get a good deal, then they know they
29:09 --> 29:13 can get more. So we did that with our kids. They actually really enjoyed it.
29:13 --> 29:15 It made it fun. I thought it was going to create more stress, but it
29:15 --> 29:18 actually helped them kind of stay within the guardrails. And it was a good little
29:19 --> 29:20 lesson with it too. And we had fun with it. That's a good one.
29:21 --> 29:22 I'm going to bookmark that one for me, for my adult kids. Yes, as they
29:22 --> 29:25 get older, as they get older. Well, Madeline and Emmy, thank you so much for
29:26 --> 29:29 joining us. Thank you. And we're so excited for all of you to head back
29:29 --> 29:33 to school this fall. It's such a joyous time for so many families.
29:33 --> 29:37 That time goes fast. So enjoy every year. As they say,
29:37 --> 29:40 the days are long, but the years are fast. So enjoy each and every one
29:40 --> 29:41 of them. We love celebrating with you and creating traditions here at Mall of America.
29:43 --> 29:46 So we will see you when you come visit and tune in next time for
29:47 --> 29:50 So Much More. Thanks for listening to So Much More,
29:50 --> 29:53 a Mall of America podcast. Subscribe wherever you find your favorite
29:54 --> 29:57 podcasts. This show is presented by Bloomington, Minnesota Travel and Tourism.